Edward Cross (Skinhead) (Earth-616)
| Identity = Public | Affiliation = | Relatives = Chaim Cross (father) | Universe = Earth-616 | BaseOfOperations = | CharRef = Marvel Encyclopedia Vol 1 Spider-Man | Gender = Male | Height = 10' | Weight = 800lbs | Eyes = Blue | Hair = Bald | UnusualFeatures = | Citizenship = American | MaritalStatus = Single | Occupation = | Education = | Origin = A Nazi skin-head that lead an uprising on the campus of Empire State University, Cross battled Rocket Racer (an African-American) in the University's chemistry lab where we was covered with an experimental web-fliud being secretly concocted by fellow student Peter Parker. | PlaceOfBirth = | Creators = Gerry Conway; Alex Saviuk | First = Web of Spider-Man #56 | HistoryText = Edward Cross is the son of Chaim Cross, a rabbi living in Queens. As a young Jewish boy, Edward was picked on against because of his heritage. As he grew older, he became a fierce Zionist to defend that heritage, but as a man he became what he most hated-a Nazi skin-head. Just as an abused child grows to be an abusing adult, Edward Cross, the victim of racism, became a racist himself. While attending Empire State University, Edward became the leader of a group of militant students. Shaving his head and permanently scaring his face with the tattoo of a Nazi swastika, Edward took the pseudonym of "Eddie the Cross." Late one afternoon, in Dr. Evan Swann's research lab at Empire State University, Peter Parker (alias the hero Spider-Man) was working after hours to develop a new and improved webbing. Unfortunately, his labors were in vain, for he only produced a batch of corrosive liquid that dissolved whatever it touched into a smelly puddle of goo. Before Peter could dispose of the chemical waste, he was distracted by a scene on the lawn outside, where Eddie the Cross was leading a group of skinheads in a cross-burning demonstration. As things began to get out of hand, Peter changed into his Spider-Man costume and arrived on the scene just in time to prevent the reformed super-criminal Rocket Racer from charging headlong into the skinheads and starting a riot. With the aid of his jet-board, Rocket Racer escaped Spider-Man's grasp, however, and attacked Eddie the Cross. Spider-Man quickly intervened, and pulled Rocket Racer away from the scene just as the police arrived. Realizing the skinheads would probably be back to cause more serious trouble, Rocket Racer and Spider-Man staked out the Hall of Afro-American Studies on the E.S.U. campus. Just as they suspected, the skinheads came back and planted a bomb that blew up the building. Infuriated, Rocket Racer attacked Spider-Man when the web-slinger tried to calm him down, and then took off after the skinheads. The berserk Rocket Racer ended up pursuing Eddie the Cross into Dr. Swann's laboratory. As Rocket Racer was about to pummel Eddie senseless, Spider-Man crashed through the window and gave Rocket Racer a shot to the jaw. As the two heroes struggled on the floor, Eddie searched for a weapon to kill them both, and found Peter Parker's jar of corrosive webbing. Raising it above his head, Eddie was about to throw the jar when one of Rocket Racer's micro-rockets shattered the container, spilling the acidic contents all over the young racist. The toxic chemicals had a horrible effect on Eddie, dissolving him into a quivering puddle of flesh. Rocket Racer fled the scene, and Spider-Man pursued him, realizing that the police would blame Rocket Racer if he were not present to give his side of the story. In the meantime, Eddie the Cross disappeared. Eddie returned to his gang's hideout in a junkyard in Long Island City, where he quickly engulfed and dissolved his comrades, claiming that it was time for them to join him in making the ultimate sacrifice for racial purity. Standing above the smoldering bones of his friends, Eddie the Cross renamed himself Skinhead, the White Redeemer. Tapping into the university's computer system, Rocket Racer discovered Eddie's home address. Through contacts at the police station, Peter Parker discovered the same information. Rocket Racer arrived at the home first, and confronted Eddie's father. As the saddened rabbi told of his son's transformation into a racist, Eddie, in his form as a blob of flesh, crashed through the window and attacked. Rocket Racer was knocked unconscious, and Skinhead was about to engulf his father when Spider-Man arrived. After being knocked around by the nearly indestructible blob, Spider-Man noticed Eddie's skeleton floating at the center of his horrific form. The web-slinger jumped into Skinhead, purposely allowing himself to be engulfed, and punched the creature's skull. Skinhead was knocked unconscious and reverted to his normal form as Eddie Cross. | Powers = After a laboratory accident, Cross can transform his body into a ten-foot diameter amoebae-like mass of flesh. He can thus withstand virtually any impact, ooze up vertical surfaces, and stretch pseudo-pods of his flesh. Cross also exudes corrosive bodily fluids, and can use his body to engulf and devour the flesh of his victims, leaving behind only a pile of bones. | Abilities = | Strength = | Weaknesses = | Equipment = | Transportation = | Weapons = | Notes = | Trivia = | Links = * Unofficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe * Gamers' Handbook of the Marvel Universe }}